The first time Travis Freeman mounted a bike without training wheels, he didn’t wait for his
mother’s gentle push or steadying hand.

The moment she let go of his bicycle, he sped down the street and hasn’t really stopped. The
23-year-old has cycled everywhere — in races and for deliveries, through snow, rain and intense
heat.

Then there was the crash.

Freeman has been hospitalized since Feb. 28, when witnesses said motorist Robert Frix made a
left turn in front of the bicyclist, causing him to crash into the side of Frix’s car. That was
supposed to be a pleasure ride for the Columbus resident, who delivers sandwiches for Jimmy John’s
on his bicycle.

He broke five ribs and fractured his sternum and spine. At the hospital, doctors had to remove
part of his skull to relieve the pressure from bleeding in his brain.

Freeman’s wreck is one in a rash of recent high-profile crashes involving bicycles in Columbus,
but the number of crashes across the state is falling.

More than 1,500 people were injured in bicycle crashes statewide last year, down from about
1,900 in 2012, according to Ohio Department of Public Safety data. The drop comes as more city
residents are commuting by bike and as Columbus tries to promote bicycling with more dedicated
lanes and its
CoGo Bike Share program.

Bike advocates say they’re gaining strength in numbers. With more bicycles on the road,
motorists may become more comfortable riding alongside them.

But when crashes do occur, they’re getting more attention, said Steve Magas, a Cincinnati lawyer
who represents bicyclists injured in traffic accidents.

Last year, 19 bicyclists were killed in crashes in Ohio, compared with 18 in 2012. In September,
St. Francis DeSales High School teacher Bob Lennon died while biking in Delaware County. The driver
who killed Lennon, Mary “Katy” Paul,
was sentenced to
4 1/2 years in prison.

Those cases and others have garnered media attention and provoked outrage from bicyclists.

“I think there’s a real lack of education in the motoring world about the rights that cyclists
have,” Magas said.

Bicyclists want more protections, including a state rule requiring cars to give bicyclists a
3-foot cushion when they pass and stiffer penalties for hit-skip drivers.

The League of American Bicyclists is asking the federal government to require states to set
goals for reducing bicycle crashes.

And groups say they are doing more to promote safety among their ranks.

Yay Bikes, a local bike-advocacy organization, offers road courses through its How We Roll
program, which trains bicyclists of all skill levels in how to ride in traffic, said executive
director Catherine Girves.

“Cyclists who are not comfortable being on roads behave in ways that make it dangerous for them
to be on roads,” she said.

Columbus police Sgt. Duane Mabry said cyclists need to consider what drivers see. They should
wear bright, reflective clothing, ride in a predictable manner and wear helmets in case they’re
struck or fall.

And drivers should recognize that bicycles are other vehicles using the road.

“There is responsibility on both halves,” said Mabry, who trains the bike squad for Columbus
police. “Stuff happens and it’s tragic, but you just control what you can control.”

In some cases, though, bicyclists can do everything right and still suffer the consequences of
riding on the road.

“Cyclists need to understand when they cross the white line and get on the road, they’re in the
big game. They have to drive their bikes like they would drive their cars,” said Magas, who is
representing Freeman’s family.

Frix was charged with failure to yield. He pleaded no contest and paid a fine and court costs
totaling $128.

That wasn’t the first time her son was hit, said Wanda Freeman-Dixon.

Doctors told her that they don’t know how long it will take Travis Freeman to recover from his
injuries. He only recently started to talk again.

“He still has a positive attitude about riding,” Freeman-Dixon said. “He’s looking forward to
getting back on the bike.”